


A Slice of Summer Love

by at1stsoo



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Pizza Place, Awkward Flirting, Crack, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Mixed Media, Mutual Pining, Smut, Summer Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-11
Updated: 2018-07-30
Packaged: 2019-06-08 23:18:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15254271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/at1stsoo/pseuds/at1stsoo
Summary: The summer that Jongin orders *way* too much pizza because he keeps trying to work up the nerve to ask out the cute delivery boy, Kyungsoo, who's just trying to make some cash in a neighborhood full of bad tippers.Kaisoo au with ChanHun and BaekChen friendship pairings, summer job au, inspired by EXO's Nature Republic + MLB ads





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a mixed-media story (originally a tweet fic, text with pictures that are integral to the storytelling), so be sure your browser's settings allow the pics to show up below or you'll miss out on some of the humor. 
> 
> The way the fic was structured was generally: -Tweet Caption- + One block of story + Accompanying picture. So to avoid spoiling yourself as you read, **TRY NOT TO LOOK AT THE PIC BEFORE YOU READ THE TEXT PRECEDING IT.** The pictures are intended to be seen after each chunk of story.
> 
> Thanks to everyone who followed along while I was tweet-writing this fic. It was a lot of fun to do! I have virtually zero experience with editing pics, so please accept my silly attempts at photo edits as part of the cracky humor of this story. *Will be completed shortly

~Main Characters: Jongin and Kyungsoo~

~Starring Sehun + Chanyeol as Jongin's jock friends and Jongdae + Baekhyun as Kyungsoo's pizza parlor coworkers~

 

 

 -Ah, Roommates-

"Someone order a pizza," Jongin grumbles as they stagger into their cramped two bedroom apartment.

"No more afternoon basketball, it's too damn hot," whines Sehun. "You order, Yeol. You have the solo room."

"'Yeol do this, Yeol do that - you have the solo room.' I would never have taken it if I knew it meant I was supposed to be the household slave for the rest of our rooming experience," Chanyeol complains.

Jongin and Sehun are too busy wrestling in the bathroom doorway over who gets the first shower to answer him. Sehun wins when he manages to shove Jongin's face in his sweaty arm pit.

"Oh God, fine! You smell worse, go go," Jongin relents, kicking a smug Sehun into the bathroom. He should've known moving in with these two would be trouble.

Speaking of which, Chanyeol is on the phone ordering pizza. With Jongin's credit card.

His friends are fucking shameless.

 

-Ding Dong-

When Sehun finally emerges twenty minutes later, likely having used all of the hot water in their shitty apartment complex, Chanyeol jumps off the couch.

"I've got next. You need to be available to sign for the pizza since it's on your card."

"This is a bunch of bs. I have to pay for the pizza AND I get last shower?" Jongin throws a pillow at Yeol as he slams the bathroom door shut. "You better have only ordered one pie!"

Ten minutes later, the doorbell rings. The apartment is sweltering even though the A/Cs cranked to max, and a cranky Jongin stumbles over to the entryway. "Yeah, I'm coming," he grumbles as the doorbell dings again.

 

 

-Pizza and more is here-

He yanks the door open harshly and sets eyes on the cutest boy he's ever seen looking up at him. Big doe eyes, full lips, dark brows contrasting with pale skin. The delivery boy mumbles hi as he fumbles for a receipt in his back pocket.

Jongin stares silently for long enough that it's getting weird, so he tries to say or do something, but his brain screaming unhelpful nonsense like CUTE CUTE, SO CUTE, BOOP HIS NOSE.

"It's $14.50." The delivery boy shoves the pizza box with the receipt and pen on top into his chest when Jongin fails to move.

 

 

-Smooth, Jongin-

Jongin can't stop staring even as he absent-mindedly scrawls his name across the receipt. The delivery guy fidgets, removing his cap to swipe at his eye before glancing shyly to the side and cautiously wiping near his lips, then checking his fingers.

Oh shit, he's made the guy self-conscious. He's checking to see if he's got sauce near his mouth or something. Jongin needs to say something, anything.

"THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH YOUR FACE," Jongin blurts out, much louder than a normal human should speak to a stranger on their doorstep.

Cute pizza guy startles and looks at him like he's got three heads. "Uh... thanks?"

 

-Just stop talking, dude-

Jongin thrusts the signed receipt and pen back at the bewildered delivery boy. Transaction complete, the pizza guy gives him an adorable head nod before spinning around to go back to his car, tucking the receipt into his back jeans pocket and unwittingly drawing Jongin's attention to the curvaceous ass.

"HEY!" he yells, because apparently his mouth will not let him live today. The guy spins around, still walking backward toward his car.

Now what. NOW WHAT. Jongin's mind blanks out again when he catches sight of those beautiful wide eyes. "DRIVE SAFELY," he says, like he's a middle-aged father and not a 19 yr old college kid.

 

-A cardinal sin-

"Who do you keep screaming at?" Sehun calls from the living room.

Jongin closes the door shut and groans at himself. Oh well, he resigns himself to being that ~weird customer~ of the day. "I wasn't... screaming. Anyway, pizza's here."

He tosses it on the table as Chanyeol comes out of the bathroom freshly showered.

"Hope you tipped the guy. Didn't put any on the order because I figured I was pressing my luck as it was to use your card - didn't want to be accused of 'overtipping' on your dime, too."

F*ck.

 

-Boys, please-

"Ughhh, now he's gonna think I'm weird AND a cheapskate! Thanks a lot, Yeol!"

"Um, you ~are~ a cheapskate. And since when do you care what delivery guys think? Was he hot or something?"

Jongin keeps his mouth shut.

"Oh ho ho," Sehun chortles. "You totally thought he's hot."

Chanyeol snorts. "Well, you can kiss your chances with that one goodbye. No one's going to date a stingy asshole."

"Order another pizza," he demands, tossing Yeol's phone to him.

"Order it yourself, I'm not the house-elf."

"Your ears suggest otherwise."

"You ass. Shut up and eat your pizza!" Chanyeol says, cramming a slice into Jongin's mouth.

 

-Excuses, excuses-

Yeol grumbles, "I already ordered last time."

"Yeah, so they'll already have your info when you call back. It'll save time," Jongin argues.

"Fine, but only if I can charge it to your card again."

"Hell no, Sehun can pay this time."

"Hmph?" the youngest exclaims mid-bite. "Leave me out of this. Besides, you're gonna lure him back only to tip him on MY card? Gee, how chivalrous of you."

Dammit, he's got a point.

"Fine! Put it on my card, but you guys are paying for dinner tomorrow," Jongin demands, pointing at them.

"I suddenly feel the need to be a good son and go to my parents' place for dinner."

"I've got a ferret playdate, won't be here."

His roommates are worthless.

 

-Chogiwhy are they like this-

Chanyeol calls the order in, reassuring the employee repeatedly that he's not having "a wicked case of deja vu" and that they just need more pizza.

"So what's your plan? Give him a fat tip and hope he fawns all over you?" Sehun teases while taking in a mouthful of cheese.

"Should we warn him that Jongin's no sugar daddy? Aspartame at best?"

"I don't think we'll need to scare the guy off. Jongin's gross, sweaty self will do that on its own."

Shit, he needs to clean up, and fast. He glares at his roommates as he runs for the shower. "You are the world's worst wingmen. Don't speak a word to him when he gets here!"

 

-Second time's the charm, right?-

Jongin tries to gameplan while in the cold-as-the-Arctic shower. Apologize. Offer to make it up to him. Try not to sound creepy while making said offer.

He's still in a towel when the doorbell rings.

"I'll get it," Sehun singsongs.

"Don't you fucking dare!" Jongin yanks some fresh shorts on and bolts for the front door, t-shirt still halfway on. He successfully cuts in front of his troublesome roommates and throws open the door. "Hi!"

Thank God, it's the same delivery guy as earlier, but he's downright glaring at Jongin. Until his eyes drift downward and tick tock back and forth between Jongin's exposed nipples, and then he clears his throat and looks up at the ceiling. "It's $14.50... again."

 

-Or... not-

"Sorry about last time, I thought my roommate already put the tip on the card. I'm sure you thought I was a total douche, but I promise I'm not. I'll tip you double this time, uh, triple actually! For your trouble, and all that," Jongin rambles.

Delivery guy appears to have stopped listening and is looking past Jongin's shoulder warily. He turns to see what's snagged the cute boy's attention, and sees his dumbass roommates' heads popping up like fucking groundhogs checking if spring has come early.

They stare down at Jongin's delivery boy in creepy silence. Why are they crowding around, looming but not saying anyt--

Oh fuck them. They're following his order to keep quiet as obnoxiously as possible.

"Look, I carry no bills larger than $20. It's company policy," cutie pizza guy says, backing away slowly.

"We're not going to rob you!" Jongin panics. "I want to GIVE you money, here, see?" He hurriedly copies the cost of the pizza onto the tip line, signs it, and offers the receipt back.

Cautiously, delivery boy snags the piece of paper from Jongin's hand and immediately hightails it to his car, tossing a nervous "enjoy your pizza" over his shoulder as he flees.

"Thank you! Really!" Jongin calls after him. Ugh.

"Well, that went well," Chanyeol remarks sarcastically.

"Had him practically eating out of your hand. Nice job, smooth talker."

"Did you hear him actually refer to himself as a douche?"

"Epic."

Jongin elbows each of them in the ribs, hard enough he hopes it bruises. He resolves to order again tomorrow, when Tweedledee and Tweedledumbass aren't around to scare his crush off.

\---------------

-The pizza parlor crew-

Kyungsoo finishes his route and returns to the pizza parlor. His friends, who've been working at the joint since high school, convinced him to start as a delivery guy just last week. The place is short-staffed, so they've all been on the same shifts lately. Which might sound like fun, but with these two, it's not. It's torture.

Strangers usually help you learn when you're new to a job. Friends like Jongdae and Baekhyun prefer to point and laugh as you fail your way to competency.

 

-Tips or self-respect, choose one-

"We have two in the queue for your coverage area. You can wait til we hit four before going back out," Baekhyun tells him before picking up the phone to take another order.

Over by the ovens, Jongdae finishes tossing the dough for a new pizza and starts adding the toppings. "How's your haul so far tonight?"

Kyungsoo leans on the counter and groans. "Not good, and I ~need~ these tips. I took this job to make money, Dae."

"Sounds like a personal problem. Lucas makes plenty of money on his route."

Kyungsoo scoffs. "Lucas is a disgusting flirt and delivers primarily to rich housewives."

 

-Soo is easily distracted-

"Well which is it, Soo? Are you complaining about your clientele or admitting you're shit at charming strangers?" Baekhyun rags on him.

"I have a nursing home and four run-down apartment complexes on my route. Which means old people and mostly college kids, both of whom don't really tip." He remembers the hot but awkward guy in apartment 88D who tipped him 100%. He'd kinda rage-drove back there, prepared for the guy to not tip once again, just to jerk him around or something because beautiful people are sometimes dicks like that. And the guy was definitely beautiful. Tall, bronze skin, much of it on display the second time around...

Kyungsoo shakes his head to clear it from distraction. He had a point... ah yes. Hot guy aside, his route is trash.

"I swear, it's like the deck was stacked against me," he whines.

Baekhyun says nothing, but Kyungsoo knows that twinkle in his eye.

 

-Foul play-

"You configured the routes and gave me the bad one on purpose, didn't you. What the hell, Baek?!"

"Come on, Soo. You've always liked a challenge."

"Trying to pay for school and eat more than 20 cent ramen already IS a challenge! How dare you do me dirty like this!" Livid, he glances around the parlor for a weapon and spies cucumber slices in the salad bar. Kyungsoo leaps over the counter and snags a few before rushing at a shrieking Baekhyun with them.

"Get that evil away from me!" he screams while Kyungsoo slaps a few cuke slices on his face and shoves one down the back of his shirt.

"Stop! That's like three health code violations in one!" Jongdae's yells go ignored.

 

-Closing time-

At the end of the shift, Soo helps them close up the store.

"Wanna go get drinks?" Jongdae asks, locking the door behind them.

Kyungsoo's already climbing into his car. "Gee, I would except I'm BROKE because someone gave me a crappy rou--"

"Would you shut up about it already? How about you work on charming the regulars and maybe your tips will go up?" Baek suggests, wiping at his face and grumbling about still smelling cucumber.

Kyungsoo glares at him. It's not terrible advice. "Fine. See you jerks tomorrow."

 

-Oh, Baekhyun...-

"Hey why did you give him a skewed route?" Dae asks as they watch Kyungsoo drive off.

"I gave him in the college apartments because the boy needs to meet someone and get laid. It's been too long and he gets grouchier by the day. Didn't consider the monetary repercussions," Baekhyun shrugs, unrepentant.

Jongdae laughs. "He'll kill you if he finds out that's the reason you know."

Baek puts a finger to his lips and shushes him. "I know - let him think I did it to fuck with his wallet."

\-----------------------------

-We're rooting for you, Jongin-

It's been another uneventful summer day for Jongin, sleeping til noon, gaming for a bit with Yeol and Sehun, and passively watching the World Cup. But now, it's 6pm.

Roommates are out. Apartment foyer has been tidied. Door step swept (for the first time ever). Time to order some pizza.

Jongin fingercombs his hair and throws on a fresh t-shirt. Okay, this can't be that hard. He passed calculus last semester, he can do THIS.

Get his name. Find a common interest. Ask if he wants to hang out some time.

 

-Not what he was expecting :( -

Ding dong. Moment of truth. Jongin opens the door with a grin--

"Hi! I'm selling potpourri to raise money for new band uniforms. Want to buy some? It's only a dollar." A middle-school-aged girl he's seen around the complex holds up some tacky looking DIY potpourri bags.

"Sorry, kid. I don't have any money. Good luck anyway," he offers, ready to close the door.

"Your apartment smells," she says, making a face.

"What? No it doesn't!" he argues back. Or does it?

"Yes it does, it smells like dirty frat boy."

"We're not in a frat!" Gdi, it's probably Sehun's laundry. That, or this girl is a shrewd seller.

 

Just then, he sees the cute delivery boy getting out of his car in the parking lot and heading toward them. He needs to get this kid out of here. Now.

"Okay fine, I'll buy one." He hastily pulls out a dollar bill from his wallet, opens his newly bought potpourri bag, and tosses it like a perfume bomb into his foyer behind him. Hopefully it'll disguise the stench.

"That's not how you're supposed to use them," she says judgmentally.

"I KNOW. Now can you scram?" he hisses. On second thought, better not to take any chances with the odor issue. He'll just shut the door behind him and woo the pizza boy on his front stoop.

 

-Someone's smooth (but it's not Jongin)

"Hi!" OMG delivery dream boy is ~smiling~ at him today, and the cute level just went through the roof. "I have another meat lovers pizza for you," he says.

'HE RECOGNIZES YOU,' Jongin's brain screams amid the internal cartwheels it's turning. 'You AND your pizza order from yesterday.' This is a good start, nay, a GREAT start.

"You order pizza every day?" the girl asks with a frown. "But I thought you said you were brok--"

"Buying more potpourri tomorrow to support your school? Yes, I sure will." Jongin gives the girl a pointed look.  
She glances between him and the cutie delivery guy, and smiles. "How many?"

Fuck, she knows. "Five more," he offers. Please let it be enough to buy her silence and for her to LEAVE.

Satisfied, she nods. "Oh thank you SO MUCH, mister. You're like the SWEETEST GUY!" she gushes loudly, winking as she turns and walks on to the next unsuspecting apartment dweller.

Did... did he just pay a child to help him flirt? Gdi he's hopeless.

 

-Swing and a miss-

"That's nice of you to help your neighbor kid like that," pretty pizza boy says.

"Ah, yeah, I try to take care of them when I can." 'Let me take care of youuuu,' his inner voice is blubbering, but no. That's too forward. Jongin's brain searches for something more subtle.

"It's $14.50, by the way." He hands over the pizza box and receipt, and Jongin wants to slyly graze hands together as he takes it but he whiffs because he's mesmerized by the boy's face. Wow, he's got the most beautiful eyes and they're looking up at him all hopeful.

Jongin puts down more than he can really afford to tip because he can't bear to disappoint him. He settles on pretending to be that baller who can drop $5 tip on a single pizza.

 

-Control the urge-

Fuck, he's already giving the receipt back without making conversation! "Hey did you see the World Cup earlier?" he blurts out.

"Ah, no. Working," delivery guy replies, crinkling his nose in the most adorable fashion.

BOOP, THE NEED TO BOOP IS GROWING. Jongin curls his hands into tight fists around the pizza box to prevent renegade booping.

"Working, right." Of course he was, asshat. Stupidstupid.

 

 

-Whoops-

"Wait, what's your name? Since I, uh, order from here a lot and might see you again next time?"

"Kyungsoo," his crush offers, with another smile. His lips curl into a heart shape, and Jongin swoons, repeating the name back. "Uh, your pizza's probably getting ruined like that..." Kyungsoo points to the box.

Mid-swoon, Jongin had absent-mindedly clutched the box up against his chest, vertically, and now pizza sauce is starting to leak against the bottom edge of the box. Shit!

"See you next time!" Kyungsoo says as he walks back to his car.

Next time. Hopefully next time, Jongin won't make an ass of himself, AGAIN. Oh well, at least he got his name?


	2. Chapter 2

\- KJI - Young Dumb & Broke -

“Guys, I need to get a job.” It’s a harsh reality that Jongin needs to face.

They’re on the couch playing poker while Jongin eats pizza for a fourth meal in a row. “I thought your parents were against you getting a job while you’re in school because they want you to focus on your studies.” Sehun lays down a full house, besting Jongin’s pathetic pair of 8’s. “Yehet!” He throws his arms in the air in victory and swipes the last slice of pizza off Jongin’s plate.

“Yeah, well. I need more money.” Hush money for the girl next door, more cash to woo Kyungsoo. (Ah, just thinking of his name gives Jongin's heart a case of the flutters.)

 

\- Oh so charming -

“My cousin was looking for someone to fill in at his workplace this weekend. Tried to rope me in, but I’m busy,” Chanyeol offers.

“What’s the job? Am I qualified?”

Yeol laughs. “Yeah, even an unskilled idiot like you can do this job.”

“Shut up, Dobby.”

"OW! Get off, dickwad, they're the source of my charms and they're SENSITIVE!"

 

\- Slow day at the pizza parlor -

Kyungsoo drags himself into the parlor and sees Jongdae and Baekhyun sitting on the floor behind the counter, playing paper football with parmesan cheese packets and an empty pizza box with goal posts drawn on it. Not bothering to ask questions, he yanks off his cap and plops down with a sigh.

Dae elbows him. “You look sulky.”

“He always looks sulky.” Baek flicks the cheese packet and whoops as he nails a goal.

 

 

\- Gotta find some way to pass the time -

“We haven’t had an order since 2pm. Hence our rousing game of football here. You want in?” He offers Kyungsoo a few cheese packets to flick.

“No." He turns one of the packets over in his palm, fidgeting. This is a sad way to spend a Saturday. "The lunch ‘rush’ was a bust. The tips sucked. I barely made $20.” His favorite customer, Charitable Hottie, is the only one who treats him well, and he hasn’t ordered today. (Yet, at least. Kyungsoo’s holding out hope for dinnertime.)

 

\- With friends like these... -

“I have an idea,” Dae says while lining up his flick. He nods toward Kyungsoo’s brown sedan outside. “Maybe go wash that turd of yours you call a car so it doesn’t look so pathetic. Give off a more polished feel.”

“Don’t make fun of my car.”

“We’d never, we love Poo-on-Wheels.”

“Aghhhh, at least I ~have~ a car, Baek!”

 

 

\- Baek _always_ has advice -

"Seriously, you've got at least half an hour before you'll have any more deliveries. Go to the car wash down the street."

"Isn’t it like $15??"

"Hey, you sometimes you gotta spend money to make money," Baekhyun says wisely. "Did my first piece of advice work, to focus on smiling more at your regulars?"

Kyungsoo recalls how this advice did lead to his favorite customer chatting more with him, not to mention a 30% tip. Slapping his cap back on, he gets up. "Ugh, fine, I’ll get a car wash."

 

\- Working at the car wash -

Kyungsoo drives into the car wash lot and gets waved over by a worker. The guy points to an open spot on the right. “Pull all the way in and the gentleman over there will be right with you!”

He drives forward and nearly crashes into a tree when he sees the guy about to service him. Ho boy.

 

\- Soo is slippin' up -

“Kyungsoo? Is that you?” The guy leans down on the open driver's side window, clearly surprised to see him. He's so close, Kyungsoo can't help but feel flustered.

“H-hi, Jongin.” Oh heaven help him, he looks like he’s gonna take off his shirt. Kyungsoo stares straight ahead instead of at his gorgeous pecs.

“Wait. You know my name?” Jongin asks, cutely tilting his head to the side.

Ffffuck, he meant to forget it. Credit card holder's names print out on the parlor receipts, and Kyungsoo normally pays them no attention but this one just... stuck. Kyungsoo ~swears~ he isn’t trying to creep on the guy. That’s why he even mentally refers to him as Charitable Hottie. But some small, adoring part of his brain refuses to forget 'Jongin.'

“Uhhh, the guy at the front said a Jongin would be washing my car, so I figured…” he lies, blushing and continuing to avoid eye contact.

 

 

\- Take your top off -

“Ah, ok."

In his periphery, Soo sees him jitter side to side awkwardly. God, why is he so cute ~and~ hot at the same time? He chances a glance to see if maybe Jongin's needing him to pay first or-- shit, he really did take off his shirt. Kyungsoo gulps and forces himself to meet the boy's eyes rather than stare at his toned abs.

"You're on your route?" Jongin asks, pointing to the light-up pizza sign affixed to the top of his car right now.

 

 

\- Jongin's working hard ;) -  

"Yeah, oops," Kyungsoo goes to remove the sign so it's not in the way, but Jongin's one step ahead of him. He hands it to him with a sweet smile, and Kyungsoo's mind is so focused on these Forearms-From-Heaven that he nearly drops it.

"Well just sit back and relax, and I’ll get you taken care of in no time!” Jongin says in friendly fashion. "Be sure to close your window so you don’t get wet.”

‘Too late,’ Kyungsoo thinks, squeezing his legs together as he rolls up the window and enjoys the front row show of Jongin scrubbing down the hood of his car in nothing but shorts.

 

 

\- Teenage dream -

True to his word to get him back to his route swiftly, Jongin does an efficient job scrubbing his car. (Maybe too efficient. Kyungsoo wouldn’t have minded staying all afternoon having him hose him down.)

When Jongin’s finished, he knocks on the driver side window, soaked and slightly out of breath.

He's a literal wet dream.

 

\- Boy deserves all the tips -

“How much do I owe you?” Kyungsoo manages to ask without drooling (much).

“It’s $15.”

Kyungsoo digs through his wallet and pulls out two tens and a five.

Jongin’s eyes bug out. “You can’t tip me $10.”

It catches Kyungsoo off guard. “What? Why not?”

Jongin actually whines, looking around uncomfortably like he can’t quite say what he wants to. “Because… because you just can’t.” He tries to hand the $10 bill back to Kyungsoo.

“Yes, I can.” Instead of taking the bill from Jongin’s outstretched hand, he curls Jongin’s fingers around it more tightly. “You’ve worked hard.”

 

 

\- Onlookers at this car wash be like O_O - 

“But I only tipped you $5 last time,” Jongin blurts out.

"And I only brought a box up to your doorstep. You had to put much more effort in,” Kyungsoo argues back.

They’ve been engaged in a playful push and pull with the ten dollar bill in question, hands locked together. They're both biting back smiles now as they try to outmaneuver each other.

Chuckling, Jongin uses his strength to push his hand into Kyungsoo’s car and drops the bill so it falls on his lap, but Kyungsoo keeps a grip on his wrist to prevent him from retreating and slaps the money directly onto Jongin’s chest. It sticks, due to the wet sheen on his skin, and Kyungsoo quickly rolls up his window while Jongin looks a bit shellshocked, staring back & forth between Kyungsoo and where his hand made contact with his bare pecs.

 

 

\- (car emoji) (dash emoji) -

“Uh, thank you!” Kyungsoo yells through his closed window. Flustered, he hastily throws his car in reverse and peels out of the car wash lot. He’s blushing furiously, not sure what came over him. Everything was going fine, they were getting along great. And then he had to go and PAW AT HIS CHEST. What was he thinking, touching Jongin like that? Oh God, he’s so embarrassing. How’s he ever going to face him again?

He barges back into the pizza parlor, where his friends are back to work fixing orders.

“How was the car wash?” Baekhyun asks.

Without explanation, Kyungsoo walks up and whops him. “No more advice from you!”

 

- Soon… -

Jongin finishes the shift at the car wash and jogs home as fast as his legs can carry him. He’s got an envelope of cash from his earnings and one special bill held separately in his pocket. A quick trip next door to pay the middle-schooler for five more potpourri bags as promised, and then he’s hurrying to the shower.

“What’s the rush? Got a hot date?” Chanyeol asks when he sees Jongin rushing around the apartment.

“No. Not yet.” But hopefully soon. 

 

\- Pulling out all the stops -

He gets dolled up nicer than usual and does his hair, all before grabbing his phone so there’s no rush to look his best. “I’m ordering pizza,” he lets his roommates know.

“Again? Come on, that can’t be good for your abs, bro,” Sehun tsks.

“He’s hoping it’ll be good for his dick,” Yeol interjects.

“Oh… the delivery boy? Still hung up on him?”

“Get your sweaty-ass basketball shorts in the washing machine,” Jongin scolds, avoiding the question as he tosses his own dirty clothes into the machine. “I’ll do them with my load.” He opens up the fresh potpourri and dumps it into a bowl to start working its magic.

“You’re offering to do my laundry?” Sehun asks incredulously. “Wtf is going on here…” he wonders, getting up to take advantage of the once-in-a-lifetime offer.

With determination, Jongin dials in another order for a meat lovers pizza and waits.

 

 

 - Through the peep hole - 

*Ding dong*

Jongin checks the peephole first this time before opening the door. Omg, Kyungsoo’s on the porch stop and fingercombing through his hair, resettling his cap back on his head, almost like he’s… grooming nervously before seeing him.

Jongin’s heartrate skyrockets, giddy. This is it, this is it. He opens the door with a big smile.

“Hey, Kyungsoo.”

 

\- Nervous tics -

“Jongin.” He replies, cute smile and cheeks dusted pink.

Halp, he’s lost all command of the English language. Uhh…. “Fancy seeing you here again.”

Why does his mouth not cooperate whenever this guy is on his doorstep, why?!

“Heh, yeah, well, uh, you eat a lot of pizza.” Kyungsoo’s eyes widen. “Not that that’s a bad thing,” he quickly rushes out.

Jongin chuckles, scratching the back of his neck nervously. “Yeah, my roommates have started complaining I should eat better, but what are they, my parents? I mean, um, you guys make a great pizza.”

“My God, this is painful to watch,” Sehun whispers to Yeol.

 

\- Honestly, they're trying to help -

Oh no, his roommates are standing right behind him in the foyer. Jongin needs to hurry up and do this before they embarrass him.

“$14.50, right?” he asks, reaching to take the pizza box and receipt.

Kyungsoo nods and hands them over. Jongin carefully writes $10 on the tip line before signing the receipt, with his roommates obnoxiously peering over his shoulder to see.

Chanyeol lets out a low whistle upon spying the tip amount. “Jongin must really like you.”

GDI, Yeol! Jongin turns and shoves the pizza box at him to make him back up.

 

 

\- Nice -_- -

Sneaking an important piece of paper out of his pocket, he slips it behind the receipt before handing it back to Kyungsoo, a little forcefully.

“Here you go. Thanks for the pizza, enjoy the tip!” he says, louder than intended. He slams the door immediately afterward and locks it.

“What the fuck was that. Why’d you slam the door on him?” Sehun looks at him like he has three heads.

“Oh he’ll know,” Jongin grins triumphantly.

 

 

\- Spot on, Hunnie -

“No really, what was that about?” Chanyeol pries as they head back to the living room to eat.

“I tipped him $10 on the receipt, but I *also* slipped him the same ten dollar bill he tipped me with today at the car wash,” Jongin explains, immensely proud of himself.

“Wait what?”

Jongin tells them about seeing Kyungsoo earlier in the afternoon and how the delivery boy plastered the $10 on his chest after he tried to refuse it. If Soo can shut a car window on him, he can slam a door on him, right? “Plus, I wrote my phone number on the bill. So if he likes me, he’ll text me, yeah?”

“You’re forcibly throwing money back and forth? To flirt??” Yeol looks at him and his roommate, baffled. "WHY?"

Sehun snorts. “Two words: Gay. Panic.”

 

 - Way to go, bro -

“Oh my God just ask him out already!” Chanyeol bellows.

“Surely NOTHING could go wrong with this plan.” Sehun rolls his eyes.

“Yeah, what if he gives away the bill to make change without noticing the number?”

“Or thinks the number was written on there way before by somebody else? You did at least put your name by it, right?”

“…that would’ve been a good idea,” Jongin mumbles, biting into his pizza with a pout.

“You’re beyond help.” Sehun shakes his head.

“On the bright side, the longer it takes him to grow a spine and ask him out, the more pizza we get to enjoy on Nini’s dime so really, please. Continue fucking it up,” Yeol says. Sehun nods and they mockingly give him a thumbs up.

Assholes.

 

\- Back at the parlor... - 

The summer heat subsides as the sun sets, Mother Nature helping Kyungsoo’s good mood last the duration of his shift. (He's not even sweating tonight, bless.) He struts into the parlor whistling, while Baek and Jongdae are sweeping up.

“Stop everything,” Dae declares, dramatically throwing down his broom and holding a hand up. “There’s a disturbance in the force. Kyungsoo seems... HAPPY.”

 

\- They track more than just tips in this store -

“I’m happy plenty of times, you dickwad.”

“Whelp, that was great while it lasted.” Jongdae walks over to a whiteboard that says 'This workplace has been _2_ hours without a penis reference' and changes the number to 0.

Baekhyun finishes his sweep job and heads over to the cash register. Kyungsoo hands him the wads of cash from his run so he can settle up with the till and get tipped out. “Strong showing on tips tonight?” he comments with an inquisitive lilt.

“Yeah, it was a good night.” Kyungsoo grins to himself, recalling Jongin adorably overtipping him and running away. He can’t be offended – he did the same, after all.

 

\- Mind blown - 

“There’s something more,” Jongdae says, suspiciously. “What aren’t you telling us?”

“Nothing. It’s—” Kyungsoo hesitates. “Okay, I’m not sharing details because I don’t want to jinx it. But I made a move on someone today.”

This apparently blows Baekhyun’s mind. “You asked someone out?” he gasps.

 

 

\- Wishing and hoping - 

“I mean, indirectly, yes. Let’s just see if he calls first.”

“It’s a customer, isn’t it?” Baekhyun asks, completely ignoring Kyungsoo’s request to not pester him for deets. Baek has never respected boundaries, though, so why start now?

“Tomorrow. You can ask me about it tomorrow.” Kyungsoo nods goodbye to his friends and skips his way out to his car, checking his phone. No new calls yet, but he’s got a good feeling about it. They exchange more than a few words and smiles today, and Jongin tipping him $20 must mean he wasn't mad about the titty touch earlier, right?

Surely, Jongin will see the number Kyungsoo snuck into the pizza box and call him.

 

\- Sigh :( -

The next day, Kyungsoo drags himself into the store for lunch duty.

“Why so glum?” Jongdae asks while stretching out some dough.

“He didn’t call.”

From over by the ovens, Baekhyun whirls around. “What??”

“Aw, I’m sorry,” says Dae.

Kyungsoo shrugs.

“Alright, who is this asshole?” Baek throws down his oven mitts. “No one makes my Soo boo cry!”

 

\- We've all been there, Soo -

“I didn’t CRY. I’m just… bummed. Got my hopes up a bit too much, I suppose. It’s whatever.”

“Come come, tell Uncle Baekkie all about it.”

“Gross, I’m not sitting on your lap, Baek.”

“Suit yourself, but start from the top.”

Kyungsoo makes a face. “Do I have to?”

“Yes, because it’s tomorrow, and I was promised details ‘tomorrow.’ Now spill: Who is he and what’s his best feature?”

Kyungsoo reluctantly explains his encounters with Jongin and the attraction to his physique and generous spirit. “Ahhh, but I shouldn’t be talking like this. He doesn’t like me, I shouldn’t take risks like this, guess I’ll die alone,” he shrugs, resigned.

 

\- Oh honey. - 

“Hold up, drama queen. You know he doesn’t like you because…?”

“Cause I gave him my number yesterday when I delivered his order, and he didn’t call. So he’s not interested.”

“Wait, gave him your number ~how~?” Jongdae asks. “Like, here’s my number and you put it in his phone?”

“No, I wrote it on a cheese packet and stuck it in the box.”

 

\- Talk some sense into him pls (or not) - 

Both his friends sigh exasperatedly, and Jongdae swats him on the shoulder with a long whine. “You froot loop! That could’ve been easily overlooked! And thrown away!”

”Soo, sweetie,” Baek condescends in a syrupy sweet voice. “There's a reason we play football with those. They're really not fit for consumption. Who would actually eat that trash powdered cheese?”

“Probably the same people who try to order pineapple.”

“Hey, there is NOTHING wrong with pineapple on pizza.”

“There is EVERYTHING wrong with pineapple on pizza.” Jongdae and Baekhyun square up, ready to fight this battle for the umpteenth time.

 

\- </3 :( -

While they bicker, Kyungsoo quietly gathers his first run of pizzas and moves toward the exit, head hanging low.

“Wait, Soo, seriously. He probably just didn’t see it,” Dae reassures.

“I even doodled hearts on the damn packet, okay?”

“Holy shit, he’s in love.”

“I am NOT. The point is, he’d have to be blind to overlook it. Can we all please move on with work? And if you get another single order for a large meat lovers today, just… don’t make me deliver it. Please.”

Kyungsoo heads to his car, dejected, and the guys watch him go with a frown.

 

\- (Mental) practice makes perfect -

*Ding dong*

Direct. He can be direct. Jongin takes a deep breath and closes his eyes, trying to use visualization techniques, like their basketball coach always tells them to in order to psych themselves up before a big game. 

Jongin imagines a typical delivery scenario, but at the end, he holds the receipt out and then playfully pulls it back out of reach, catching Kyungsoo's attention and eliciting adorable, wide-eyed surprise. ‘Hey, you’ve been working too hard.’

‘Gee, maybe if someone wouldn’t order so much pizza…’ Kyungsoo teases back with a coy smile.

'My bad. Let me make it up to you on your day off. Can I take you to dinner and a movie?’

He can do this. He opens the door.

 

 

\- Shameless (eyeroll emoji) - 

What the hell. “Who are you?” Jongin asks gruffly.

“I’m Lucas,” the stranger with pizza says, grinning. “And what’s your name, handsome?”

Jongin doesn’t disguise his disgust. “Where’s my K-- my regular delivery driver? Is he off today?”

“Nah, he’s working. The guys at the parlor said he needed a short break and asked me to do a batch of deliveries for him. But uh…” he looks Jongin up and down approvingly, “I’d be happy to keep you on my rounds from now on.” He gives a greasy wink at the end.

 

 

\- Let him live, Yeol - 

“No,” Jongin scowls. “I like the delivery boy I already have.”

“See, now was that so hard to admit out loud??” Chanyeol yells from the living room.

Lucas shrugs and hands him the pizza and receipt. “It’s—”

“$14.50, I know.” Jongin sulkily writes a $2 tip and takes his pizza, shutting the door in his face immediately afterward.

 

 

\- Including potpourri, 120 - 

Jongin drops the pizza on the coffee table with a pout.  “He’s on break.”

“Then just order again later.”

“I’m not made of money, Chanyeol!”

“Fine, fine, I’ll let you put it on my card just this once. But no freaky tipping! It’s supposed to be 20 ~percent~ not 20 dollars.”

Sehun chortles. “Yeah, how much has Jongin spent on this guy already?”

“Whatever the number, it’s higher than his IQ,” Yeol snarks before enjoying a mouthful of free pizza.

 

 

\- Sounds painful >.< -

After pacing the room a few times, Jongin flops face first onto the sofa. “What if he’s avoiding me?”

Sehun rolls his eyes. “That’s stupid. You heard the delivery guy, he’s just on break.”

“Yeah? Well if I were on break at the car wash but he pulled in, I’d be off break so fast—”

“So fast your dick would get whiplash, yeah, we get it.”

Jongin smacks him in the face with a couch cushion. 

 

  

-  _Probably_ not the issue - 

It’s an hour later, and the guys have eaten and moved on to playing a Mario Kart marathon.

Except for Jongin, who’s still stuck on unraveling the reason why Kyungsoo would avoid him. Sagging back on the couch, he watches them knock each other off Rainbow Road repeatedly. “Maybe he’s not gay. Or maybe he’s not sure if I’m gay.”

“You order MEAT LOVERS pizza every time and tip him like you want a lap dance included. Yet you think he hasn’t picked up on your Nervous Gay vibe?”

 

\- The stage is set... - 

“Enough moping! It’s now or never, dude,” Chanyeol declares and dials the pizza parlor. “Hey. I need a large meat lovers, and I need you to send the regular guy who delivers here.”

Suddenly, there’s a rapid-fire retort streaming through Yeol’s cell phone, loud enough that he holds his phone away, complaining about his sensitive ears.

“That’s not true! And I’m just an innocent roommate!”

The line is quiet for a beat, followed by a softer question that Jongin can’t make out.  
“Yeah… yes, I’m sure. Okay, sounds good.” Chanyeol hangs up.

“What was that about?” Sehun asks.

“Oh nothing. Buck up, Jongin. I’m pretty sure your boy’s gonna be here soon with that pizza.”

 

\- Who's to blame - 

Jongdae worries his bottom lip. “You do realize he’s gonna kill us for this, right?”

“He’ll be mad for five minutes and go right back to loving us as always. Besides which, if Kyungsoo kills anyone, it’ll be you for coming up with this idea,” Baek corrects him.

“Not if I tell him it was your idea.”

“That would be a lie, Kim Jongdae.”

“Yeah, well so is your height on your driver’s license.”

 

\- Yeah, they're not acting suspiciously at all - 

Kyungsoo pushes through the parlor door. “Any new orders?” he asks lifelessly.

“Yes,” Baekhyun says, shoving several pizza boxes his way. “And before you ask, no, we cannot make Lucas deliver to that one address again. He’s swamped with several kids’ birthday party orders over in the fancy suburb. Just drop it off and leave."

"Yeah, you don't even have to say anything to him if you don't want to," Jongdae suggests. "In fact, maybe it's better that way. Don't linger."

"Do it first and do it quick, like ripping off a band-aid.”

Jongdae mimes ripping one off his arm, complete with sound effects, nodding in agreement.

Kyungsoo sighs, drumming his finger tips on the top box, recognizing the address. “Fine.” He glares at them as he takes the orders and leaves.

 

 - Not what he wants in his face -

*Ding dong*

Peephole check. Okay, it’s him. "Go for it, man." His roommates give him encouraging nods, and Jongin opens the door.

“Hey, Kyung—” Jongin doesn’t even get a full greeting out before a pizza box is being held up to his face, mostly obscuring the cute delivery boy.

Kyungsoo’s shifting nervously on the doorstep, looking anywhere but him. “Sorry to be abrupt, but I’ve got 8 other orders in my car. We’re swamped.”

 

\- Charitable Hottie strikes again - 

“Oh,” Jongin deflates. “Oh, that’s okay, I understand.” He’s being blown off. Again. There’s no point in annoying the guy with a rushed confession. He quickly writes in a $10 tip anyway. (Chanyeol can kiss his ass.)

Kyungsoo’s gorgeous eyes widen seeing the tip, clearly unexpected. “T-thanks? I…” he hesitates on the doorstep a moment, mouth opening to say more, but then he changes his mind and snaps it shut.

He gives Jongin a look of confusion before spinning on his heels and trotting back to his car.

 

\- O M G - 

“It’s official. He hates me.”

“Jongin, trust me, he *doesn’t* hate you.”

“He practically ran away from me just now,” he argues with Chanyeol.

Bored with the ongoing saga, Sehun chugs his soda and starts to dig into the new pizza, when suddenly he’s spewing his drink all over the living room.

“Dude, what the hell?”

Without a word, Sehun turns the pizza box toward them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoying the story? Click the kudos button and talk to me in the comments, I always reply ^_^ ♡
> 
> Hoping to have another ch up this weekend, ideally. PS Did you notice Soo's phone number? ;)


	3. Chapter 3

\- What to text... -

“Well, mystery solved. Congrats on all the sex you’ll be having,” Sehun say dryly, patting Jongin on the back.

Chanyeol reads the note over a few times. “ABAB rhyming pattern, impressive.”

“Thoughtful,” Sehun agrees. “So what are you gonna text him? A haiku?”

Yeol snaps his fingers, agreeing, and starts counting syllables on his hand.

“Hi, it’s me Jongin  
What time are you free tonight?  
I will eat your ass”

 

\- They're all poets now (eyeroll emoji) -

Sehun cackles. “I mean, he was pretty forward, so he might go for that, but I was thinking more like…” he counts the syllables out.

“Thanks for your number  
When does your shift finish up?  
I’m gay for you, too”

Chanyeol scoffs. “I like mine better. What do you think, Jongin? Jongin?”

"Asshole started without us."

 

\- Jongin's got a number, and he's gonna use it ;) -

 

\- The embarrassment is palpable -

 

\- Random or...? :) ;) -

 

\- Kyungsoo saves a new contact, too ;) -

“Um, why is Jongin digging through the garbage?” Chanyeol asks, concerned.

Sehun glances back at the kitchen to see Jongin’s upper torso buried in the garbage can like an oversized trash panda. He shrugs and returns to watching the World Cup on TV.

“Love makes people do crazy things, Yeol.”

 

\- Jongin's fingers are texting faster than his brain thinks -

 

\- Getting bolder, huh? -

 

\- Anticipation -

 

\- Getting ready (sponge emoji) -

Kyungsoo drops off the last order in his car, skipping back to his car with an uncontrollable grin on his face. Not that it even matters to him right now, but tips have been amazing on this run. His giddy moody from learning his crush is interested after all must be spilling over into better service.

He can hardly believe he’s going to have a date with Jongin. Maybe ‘date’ is a bit of a stretch, but they’re going to ~hang out.~

He stops to fill up gas and clean up the inside of his car, shaking out his car mats and meticulously wiping down the dashboard.

Now, he just needs a chat with his ‘friends.’

 

\- Meanwhile, at the parlor -

“He’s been gone awhile,” Jongdae says nervously, checking the clock.

Baek is fidgeting, too, but tries to play it cool.

“Maybe it worked so well, the guy jumped him before he even got back to his car and they’re busy enjoying a little afternoon delight.”

 

\- Cowards, face the music -

"He's here. Baek, don't you dare leave me. Get your ass out here!" Dae yells as Baekhyun tries to sneak back into the storeroom.

"Does he look like he's smiling?" Baek asks, cowering behind him.

"How the hell should I know? I can't see through the windshield."

The car door opens, and Kyungsoo steps out. He rips off his hat, chucking it back into his car with some force, and slams the driver's door closed.

"Uh oh."

"Lock the door! Junmyeon won't care if we close early, right??"

 

\- Full blown panic -

Kyungsoo unlocks the parlor door. (Did these idiots forget he has a key, too?) Before he can say a word, Baekhyun is already yapping and pointing fingers.

“Okay first, it was Jongdae’s idea.”

“You traitor!” Jongdae barks at Baek from across the room. Dae is backed up as far as he can go against the wall and shuffles to keep as much distance as possible between himself and Soo.

“And second, clearly he texted, right? So that means he got your number AND he cared enough to talk to you, so this is all a good thing.”

Kyungsoo wordlessly stalks over to the ovens and calmly unhooks a pizza paddle off the wall.

 

\- Dae is braver than any US Marine -

“What did he say, Soo? He likes you, too, right?” Jongdae tries to get him talking, unnerved by the silence more than he would be by his friend yelling at them.

“That’s not the point.”

“Of course it is! We did this for youuuu,” Baekhyun singsongs. “Because we love you and you proved to be inept at giving out your number. We were just helping you out.”

"Putting my name and number in the box would’ve been trying to help, not writing in big bold letters ‘I like the D!’”

Nervously, Jongdae sidles over to the dick references board and resets the counter back to 0 again.

 

 - He deserves it & he knows it -

With Kyungsoo raising his voice, Baek decides to make a run for it. Soo quickly gives chase, so Baekhyun attempts to hop over the counter in one go but fails. Kyungsoo winds up and smacks him square on the ass with the pizza paddle.

“Ow, I’m not into BDSM, Soo!”

“Good! It’s suppose to be unpleasant, you perv!” He whops him one more time on the bum, showing a bit more mercy with the force while Baek bites his fist and accepts the spank.

 

\- Soo's actually a softie <3 -

Jongdae holds his hands up in front of him when Kyungsoo wheels around. “If I surrender peacefully, will you go easy on me?”

Kyungsoo bobbles his head side to side, deliberating. “Deal. But only because I know Baek was a bad influence on you.”

“I resent that!” Baekhyun calls, rubbing his tush and climbing down from the counter.

A mild smack on Dae’s butt makes him yip with laughter rather than pain, and Kyungsoo tosses the pizza paddle into the sink. “Be sure to wash that. God knows where Baek’s ass has been.” He grabs the boxed orders for his route off the shelf, gives them a pointed look, and leaves.

 

\- Prettying up as best he can -

Kyungsoo pulls in to the apartment parking lot that has become all too familiar to him. Nervously, he checks himself out in the rear view mirror, fixing his fringe which is kind of a mess due to wearing the delivery cap all afternoon. He tries to get it semi-decent to at least have ~some~ semblance of being date-worthy when he picks Jongin up, even if he’s gonna have to put the cap back on for each pit stop.

He searches for his little pot of Vaseline in the glove compartment and dabs the lip balm on. Ack, this is probably the best he can do for now. Hopefully Jongin won't mind his mid-shift glow.

 

\- Texts he almost sent... -

He walks up to Jongin’s doorstep and attempts to stay calm. It’s been awhile since he’s had a date. Like, a long fucking while.

Oh God, what’s he going to say??

It was easier over text. Texting lets him hide the muffled squeaks he makes when Jongin’s being sweet to him, and he can erase the verbal vomit of YOU LOOKED REALLY GOOD SWEATY and other such nonsense before hitting send.

Where’s the backspace button on face-to-face conversations?

This is going to be a disaster.

 

\- Oh what a start (blush emoji) -

He runs a hand over his face, closing his eyes and focusing on a calming breath. Okay, it’s just ringing a doorbell, like he does a hundred times a day.  He wipes his sweaty palms on his thighs several times, licks over his lips once, and pushes the button.

The door pops open immediately.

“I was wondering how long you were going to stand there keeping me waiting,” Jongin says with a grin, leaning casually against the door frame and looking way too hot for his own good.

 

\- Well that's embarrassing -

Oh hell. “You saw me stalling?” Kyungsoo blushes. “For how long?”

“The whole time."

Kyungsoo screams internally, scrunching up his face.

Boop.

Kyungsoo blinks his eyes open and stares up at Jongin in surprise.

“Uh, sorry. I’ve… wanted to do that for a really long time, and you look so cute when you crinkle your nose like that, and my hand kinda has a mind of its own,” Jongin blabbers, shyly putting his hands behind his back as though he doesn’t trust them not to wander out again.

(art cr: @ciaosoo)

 

\- [This is Jongin, hours post-boop <3 <3 <3] -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to pause here to properly appreciate Dani (@ciaosoo) for drawing this fan art for the fic - IT'S SO PERFECT, I LOVE IT and it made me feel so special that she was inspired to draw for it uwu
> 
> More coming soon! Uploading and formatting the pics is taking longer than anticipated. (Getting the texts to show up without blur required a different work around than I was using.) Thanks to everyone who is reading along! :D Really appreciate the comments and kudos :-*


	4. Chapter 4

\- Someone help Kyungsoo -

“It’s- it’s fine,” Kyungsoo says, blushing harder. “I must’ve looked dumb just standing on your doorstep.”

Jongin shakes his head no. “I told you, I love seeing you on my doorstep.” Oh, oh wow, he says it so tenderly, Kyungsoo feels like he might just melt (and not from the summer sun, for once).

“And, ah, if it makes you feel better, I saw it because I’ve been pacing in my foyer for the past five minutes watching for you to drive up,” Jongin admits sheepishly, stepping out of his apartment and closing the door behind him.

Kyungsoo laughs and starts leading them to his car. “That sounds just like how my puppy waits for me.”

The words are out before he can stop them. He just called Jongin a dog. Wtf. WHERE IS THE BACKSPACE BUTTON, he needs to delete the last five minutes and start over.

 

\- Honestly, with Jongin, who knows the motive -

“Sorry, I didn’t mean--”

Jongin waves him off with an unbothered chuckle. “I love dogs, and I’ve been compared to an oversized puppy before. I’ll take it as a compliment,” he reassures him. “You have a puppy?”

“Yeah, two actually.” Kyungsoo digs out his phone to pull up the latest pic he has of the fur babies. Jongin leans in close behind him to see, chin hovering just over Kyungsoo's shoulder. He almost drops the phone when he feels Jongin's breath against his cheek, but recovers and points to Huchu.

"Cute!" Jongin coos over the photo, and Kyungsoo wonders if he's half draped over his back for the sake of skinship or if he's just really that excited to see the dogs.

 

\- Brain to mouth filter = none -

It's hot as hell even without Jongin raising his body temp by standing so close, so Kyungsoo tucks his phone away and walks to the passenger side door to open it for him, hoping that’s not too hokey.

“I have dogs, too. Three, back at my parent’s place,” Jongin explains with a wide grin, stepping into the car. Okay, maybe the guy really does just like dogs.

Kyungsoo walks around and slides into the driver’s seat. “Pics? I showed you mine, you show me yours.”

Jongin flushes at the choice of words before Kyungsoo realizes how suggestive it sounds. He'd take it back, but Jongin's smiling, so he doesn't. Kyungsoo is truly lucking out, failing the way to the top with this guy.

 

\- O_O (mouth emoji) -

“I’ll find a pic of my doggos while you drive to your first delivery. Don’t want to make you late,” Jongin says thoughtfully.

“Okay," he puts his keys in the ignition but stops. "Wait, you're not--” Kyungsoo leans over and reaches across Jongin’s chest to pull the seatbelt across his lap. His hand brushes along Jongin’s thigh with the motion, and Kyungsoo feels him tense under his touch. “S-safety first,” he explains.

When he looks up from the buckle, their faces are awfully close. Kyungsoo finds himself staring at Jongin's tempting lips and then up into chocolate brown eyes fully focused on his. The two boys lock gazes for an intense second... before Kyungsoo chickens out and hurriedly starts the car.

 

\- Can you really blame Jongin? -

Despite the crackling sexual tension when they first got in the car, the ride-around is miraculously not awkward. They engage in friendly chatter about their poodles, swapping stories about how they first adopted them and each dog’s personality.

Jongin mentally berates himself a few times for not going for it and kissing Kyungsoo when he had the chance. But it was only the start of the date, and they had deliveries to make. Something tells him that once he starts kissing Kyungsoo, it’ll be very difficult to stop.

They have to hit pause on their conversation each time they reach a customer’s place, but Jongin doesn’t mind. He gets to watch Kyungsoo saunter up to each door and enjoys being able to freely stare at his luscious ass without fear of getting caught.

 

 - Touchy <3 -

“Ah, we have to go back to the parlor now,” Kyungsoo announces after their fourth stop. He doesn’t seem happy about it. Jongin turns and checks to see the backseat is empty of pizza, surprised how quickly time has gone by.

“Do you… not like going to the parlor?”

Kyungsoo chews on his bottom lip. “I’m just worried since you’re with me.”

Jongin frowns. “I told you not to let me get you in trouble. You can drop me off in the back alley or something if you don’t want them to see me.”

“What? No! It’s not—” Kyungsoo sighs and explains. “These are the guys who wrote that note on your pizza box. I’m worried what they might do or say in person is all. Don’t want them to scare you off.”

“That’s not possible,” Jongin says matter-of-factly. “Plus, you’ve seen my annoying roommates. I’m the last person to judge another based on their friends’ teasing.” He chances a reassuring stroke on Kyungsoo’s forearm, and Kyungsoo’s mouth tugs up into a soft smile.

 

\- Kings of operation "Get Soo laid" -

“I’ll run in and grab the orders. Keep the car running, and stay here so you don’t have to suffer them. I’ll be right back,” Kyungsoo says, as he parks the car in front of the pizza place.

Jongin observes as the delivery guy walks into the store assertively and goes straight to the order shelf. He can see the two guys inside keep their distance, looking wary, and he snorts to himself, wondering what sweet Kyungsoo would’ve said to make them cautious.

Kyungsoo’s making his way back when the atmosphere in the room changes abruptly and the two guys are suddenly rushing excitedly to the front door on Kyungsoo’s heels. The delivery guy mutters something that keeps the two from actually leaving the store, but they’re peering out at Jongin and waving.

Jongin waves back hesitantly, and he gets an assortment of thumbs up and salacious winks.

 

\- Work it, Jongin -

“I hate them,” Kyungsoo says, noticing their antics as he puts the pizzas in the back seat and slides back into the car.

“They seem like they’re happy for you. Just how much did you talk about me with them?” Jongin teases.

Kyungsoo turns red and pushes his phone into Jongin’s hand, changing the subject. “I’m supposed to be teaching you, right? Here, you do the navigating for the stops. I know all of these addresses but one.” He reads off the address so Jongin can type it into the navigation app.

 

\- Flirty flirt flirts <3 -

“So most of these drops are regulars?”

“Yep. You end up developing nicknames for them. We’ve got ‘Woman with Too Many Cats’ and ‘Stoners Who Over Order.’ She’s a steady $4 tipper. The stoners are my second best customers, but tipping is erratic, depending on how high they are,” he explains with a smile and an eyeroll.

“I never thought about you having other regulars. Do I need to be jealous?” Jongin asks flirtatiously.

Kyungsoo scoffs. “Hardly. I already told you, you’re my favorite customer.” He looks sidelong at Jongin in the passenger seat, and the way he bites his lip makes Jongin’s heart flipflop in his chest.

 

 

\- He's learning how to read Soo -

“Take a left at the next light,” Jongin says, conveying the directions from Kyungsoo’s phone. “Hey wait, what’s ~my~ nickname then?”

Kyungsoo avoids looking Jongin’s direction, licking over his lips and stalling. “I already told you, Favorite Customer.”

Jongin studies his face carefully, from the way Kyungsoo’s long lashes seem to be twitching to the soft pink on his cute cheeks. “You’re lying.”

 

\- Panic -

“You only had a nickname for a few days because I learned your real name. You’re just Jongin now, sorry to disappoint,” Kyungsoo says sticking his tongue out at him for good measure.

“Is that right?" He asks, amused. "So you have me saved in your phone here as Jongin?” He starts to open the Contacts app.

Kyungsoo’s hand shoots out immediately, trying to wrestle his phone from Jongin’s grip.

 

\- Emergency pit stop -

“Hands on the wheel, eyes on the road, Soo,” Jongin teases, holding the phone further away from the driver’s side and trying to search up his number.

Kyungsoo quickly pulls the car over, ignoring the fact that they’re on a relatively busy road, and puts on his hazard lights. He leans over the center console and grapples with Jongin for the phone.

Jongin’s laughing, surprised at how strong Kyungsoo is for his smaller size. “Now I’m REALLY curious, is it that bad?”

 

\- Jongin's not afraid to play dirty -

Kyungsoo doesn’t reply, but his tongue pokes out the side of his mouth as he lurches for his phone competitively, giggling when Jongin holds it all the way up to the car’s ceiling. He grabs a fistful of Jongin’s shirt to pull him closer, trying to take away his long-limbed advantage, and Jongin’s heart rate picks up. Kyungsoo’s practically out of his seat and half into his.

They continue play-fighting for the phone, which has basically become an excuse to touch each other, arms tangled together, until Jongin lets impulse takeover and quickly kisses him on the cheek.

Kyungsoo freezes, stunned into submission.

 

\- Aha, victory -

Kyungsoo’s paralysis means Jongin can sit back and search for his number without interference now. He ignores the tingle on his own lips and the temptation to steal another peck, reminding himself it was a tactic to win Phone Wrestlemania and totally not because he wants to kiss Kyungsoo. Definitely not.

What was he doing again?

He refocuses on the phone in his hand and finds his contact listed as Charitable Hottie.

 

\- Bloosh -

Jongin beams. “You think I’m hot,” he singsongs, getting a thrill out of seeing it in writing.

After some adorable grumbling, Kyungsoo has pulled the car back on the road, continuing his route as a way to distract from what just happened. “You _know_ you’re hot,” he mumbles under his breath, refusing to look at Jongin. He’s flushing so much, even the tips of his ears are turning pink.

God, he’s cute.

 

\- You showed me yours, I'll show you mine -

The atmosphere in the car is full of giddy tension as both boys remain flustered from their exchange. (And neither one can run away like they could from their past flirt sessions… not that Jongin would want to. He doesn’t see himself wanting to run away from Soo ever again, tbh.)

Kyungsoo focuses on driving, retreating a bit due to shyness, and Jongin feels a little bad for teasing him and ‘snooping’ in his phone.

So Jongin digs his own cellphone out of his back pocket and opens up his messages. “Here,” he says quietly, setting the phone on Kyungsoo’s thigh. “You should know how attractive you are, too.”

Kyungsoo’s lips curl into a smile, seeing what Jongin saved as his name.

 

\- Tit for tat? -

“Wait, how do you already have a contact picture for me?”

Flushing, Jongin tries to rapidly pull his phone back, as if that’ll make Kyungsoo unsee that he already eagerly snapped a pic at the start of their date, unable to help himself. “It’s your own fault your side profile’s so pretty,” he mumbles embarrassedly.

In his hasty attempt to reclaim his phone from Kyungsoo's thigh, though, he fumbles the device forward between Kyungsoo's legs instead, yelping a "Sorry!" as he goes after it, hand almost grazing the crotch of Soo's jeans.

The car swerves to the right from the unexpected touch, and Jongin apologizes again in blubbering fashion. "I'm SO SORRY! I didn't mean to-- I'll let you get it."

Kyungsoo fetches the phone and hands it back to him with an amused chuckle.

They’ve arrived at the first customer’s house. Kyungsoo puts the car in park and then—

Boop.

“You’re cute when you blush, too,” Kyungsoo says with a grin before rushing off to deliver the pizza.

 

\- Play another slow jam -

The mood in the car is lighter when Kyungsoo returns from his delivery, now that they’ve both been awkwardly vulnerable about their attraction. They talk music preferences and find they both enjoy indie r&b songs. Jongin opens up his Spotify and they trade turns reccing songs to each other.

“Oh, have you heard this one? It’s one of my favorites,” Jongin says, starting up Get You by Daniel Caesar. 

Kyungsoo smiles coyly. And then sings along with a few lines in the first verse. 

Jongin stares, completely mesmerized.

 

\- Better than winning the lottery, tbh -

“Wow you… have an incredible singing voice.” 

“Ah, I just like to play around in my free time,” Kyungsoo replies, but he looks immensely pleased at the praise. 

“No really, that was amazing. What’s your favorite song to sing?” His thumbs are poised to type in the track. 

“Stop,” Kyungsoo pushes his hands to put down the phone, blushing. “I’m not that good. And I’m working right now.” He points to the apartment complex they’ve arrived at as an excuse.

“Then promise me a private performance later.”

“…okay, later,” Kyungsoo agrees before leaving the car.

 

\- Please always be healthy and eat a lot -

It’s almost 7pm when they’re done with another set of deliveries.

“Hey, don’t you need to eat dinner?” Jongin says with concern. 

“Ah, I’m allowed to eat from the parlor for free while I’m on duty, but I’m… kinda pizza’d out,” Kyungsoo admits with a shrug. “So I usually just skip dinner or eat after work if I forget to pack something.” 

Jongin pouts. “That’s not okay. You can’t skip meals. Let me buy you dinner.”

 

\- Just happy to be with him -

“Shouldn’t I offer to treat you since I asked you to ride around with me?” Kyungsoo counters.

“Technically, I asked you out first.” 

Kyungsoo’s stomach fills with butterflies over how serious Jongin sounds. “I'm still paying. We only have time for drive-thru,” he says, feeling bad because Jongin deserves better. Hardly romantic for a first date. 

“I love drive-thru food,” Jongin replies with an easy smile, and the way he looks at Kyungsoo sends his heartrate into overdrive.

 

\- Enjoy the innuendos -

They go through McDonald’s, and Kyungsoo pays despite Jongin’s protests. Perks of being in the driver’s seat. 

“I’ll take over the navigating again, you eat,” Kyungsoo tells him as he pulls out of the drive-thru. 

“But you need to eat, too,” Jongin disagrees, digging through their food bag. “Here.” He holds out a french fry. 

Kyungsoo shyly bites it, careful to catch just the tip of the fry and then pull it into his mouth with his lips. “Ah! Hot!” he whines, juggling it around in his mouth before swallowing. 

Jongin apologizes and blows on the next fry before holding it out again. They hit a pothole as Kyungsoo goes to take it in, and his lips bump into Jongin’s fingers. 

“Sorry,” he mumbles. 

“No need to apologize,” Jongin mumbles back, immediately offering another.

 

\- More things in common - 

After dinner, Jongin asks him about school, and they talk about what they love and loathe about their majors. They discover they both attend the state university in town but have classes on opposite sides of campus since Jongin’s doing History and Kyungsoo’s in Finance. 

“Hey, have you taken Philosophy yet? Any pointers on how to survive?” Jongin asks.

Kyungsoo groans. It’s the required course that everyone complains is soul-suckingly boring, and no one can skip class because attendance is mandatory. “No, I hear all the profs are equally awful. I’ve been putting it off.” 

“Me, too. I signed up for next semester, though. Fingers crossed I don’t die from boredom,” Jongin says dramatically.

 

\- Something much, much more -

“Maybe I’ll take it then, too." It’d be nice to have a (boy)friendly face in class, Kyungsoo's heart hopes quietly. "I, uh, hear survival rates are higher if people take it pairs,” he jokes. 

Jongin smiles at the suggestion. “That’d be great. I may need you to squeeze my hand every few minutes to keep me awake.” 

Taking a chance, Kyungsoo cautiously threads his fingers through Jongin’s hand and gives it a squeeze. “I think I could do that.” 

Jongin squeezes back, and warmth spreads from the tips of Kyungsoo’s fingers all the way up to his heart. 

They fall into comfortable silence as the sun sets, letting the music from Jongin’s phone wash over them as they drive on, hands locked together. 

And just like that, a summer crush starts feeling like the start of something much, much more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was listening to sappy love songs the day I wrote this part, and I'm already a total sap for Kaisoo, so the story got soft for a hot second <3 It'll still be cracky though, don't worry, lol


	5. Chapter 5

\- So in sync <3 -

A few delivery runs later, and they’ve worked out a companionable rhythm. Jongin co-pilots perfectly by organizing the sequence of the stops and reading the order slips aloud for Kyungsoo to do a faster check that he has the right pizzas each time. They make a great team.

With a genuine smile, Kyungsoo tells him, “I wish I could have you on all my runs.” (For more than one reason, of course.)

 

 

\- Huh? -

The next delivery is at Jongin’s apartment complex. Kyungsoo checks the clock and realizes it’s already 10pm.

“Do you want me to drop you off here? I feel like I’ve dragged you around way longer than you probably wanted,” he says, rubbing the side of neck shyly.

 “No! I’m having fun,” Jongin quickly interjects.

“Ah, that’s good,” Kyungsoo smiles. “You’re a quick learner, too. You’ll make a great delivery driver.”

Jongin purses his lips. “About that… I kinda lied?”

“What?”

 

 

\- The honest truth -

Jongin runs his hand through his hair a few times, fidgeting. “I have no plans to be a delivery driver. I just made it up so you wouldn’t take back the offer to go out tonight,” he admits sheepishly.

Wow. Kyungsoo feels warm all over, touched he would actually go through this much trouble and work tonight just to spend time with him. “Really?”

Jongin nods, chuckling a little nervously. “I don’t even own a car, Soo.”

 

 

\- Break time -

Kyungsoo stares at him unblinking for a long moment, then opens his car door and gets out.

“Ah, please don’t be mad!” Jongin calls from inside the car. Where’s he going?

Jongin starts to open his door to follow, but Kyungsoo gets right back inside, tossing his cap and the pizza car topper onto the backseat.

“What’s--”

“I’m off duty now,” Kyungsoo says, cutting Jongin’s question off as he leans forward and kisses him hard, square on the mouth.

 

 

\- The seal's been broken -

In no time at all, Jongin is pressing back against those plush lips, heart thrumming wildly in his chest.

It’s simple but passionate, no trace of the hesitation typical of most first kisses. They’ve hesitated enough.

When Kyungsoo breaks it off, Jongin’s eyes search his, chest heaving and want building inside of him. He ~needs~ to kiss Kyungsoo again (and again, and again…), but there’s still hot pizza in the backseat.

 “What about the customers?”

“They can wait. I’m busy with my favorite.”

That’s all the go-ahead Jongin needs to surge forward and capture Kyungsoo’s mouth again.

 

\- Okay this one is a little nsfw -

This kiss rapidly turns heated, as their lips push and pull with all the lust that’s been growing between them for days. Kyungsoo threads fingers through his hair as Jongin angles to let their tongues brush together. When he sucks gently on Kyungsoo's lower lip, Kyungsoo lets out a light moan, and the sound has Jongin fumbling to unbuckle his seat belt to get closer.

After several tries, he gives up and tugs Kyungsoo by the waist, the smaller eagerly abandoning the driver’s seat to climb onto Jongin's lap.

The air turns humid in the car as heated gasps slip out between wet kisses. Jongin hums into Kyungsoo's mouth as he feels Kyungsoo's hands roam across his body, stroking down his neck and chest appreciatively, fingertips curling into his pecs and then sliding along his arms.

"Touch me," Kyungsoo whimpers against his lips, and Jongin is quick to comply.

The permission to touch is exhilarating. His hands wander from their gentlemanly position on Kyungsoo's slim waist down across his luscious ass, causing both of them to shudder.

 

\- Knock knock -

There’s a loud knock on the windshield, startling them. Kyungsoo’s hands remain cradled around the back of his neck, but Jongin quickly slips his back up to hold Soo’s waist as they both turn in the direction of the noise.

“Is that Jongin??”

Of course it’s his good-for-nothing roommates. It’s as if they have an internal alarm that goes off every few hours asking ‘Have we ruined Jongin’s life lately? No? Better get on it.’

“Hi, Kyungsoo!” Chanyeol hoots, waving obnoxiously while Sehun gives a judgy look at their PDA.

 

\- (boat emoji) Let them live -

Jongin glares at them. “Get out of here.”

“Hey, you’re the ones getting it on out in the open. It’s not exactly a private parking lot,” Sehun replies, gesturing around at the brightly lit apartment complex.

Kyungsoo sags his head forward, whispering in Jongin’s ear with a sigh, “They’re right.” He plants a soft kiss on the corner of Jongin’s jaw as he withdraws and climbs back into his own seat. His cheeks are flushed, and it’s hard to tell if it’s from making out or embarrassment.

“They’re so cute – look, at the windows all fogged up. Help, I’m getting Titanic flashbacks,” Yeol continues to tease as Sehun dramatically slaps and drags a palm down Jongin’s window.

 

\- Run, ChanHun -

Jongin starts to open his car door, and his roommates jump back, smirking and holding up their hands in ‘Please-don’t-kill-me’ fashion. Chanyeol even has the audacity to use Sehun as a human shield, but Jongin doesn’t bother going after them once it’s clear they’re leaving.

“Get room already! Hell, you can use ours. I’ll sleep in Yeol’s room tonight, just in case!” Sehun calls back as they trot to their apartment door.

Chanyeol squabbles with him over inviting himself into the ‘Park Pad,’ complaining that he “better not starfish on the bed,” and they disappear inside.

 

\- Deadly combination, for sure -

Jongin clears his throat as he sinks back into his seat. “Uh, I’m REALLY sorry about them.”

Kyungsoo is shyly putting his cap back on and figuring out which pizzas he needs to drop off here. “It’s okay. Seems like we’re equally cursed with nosy friends.”

“They must never meet,” Jongin jokes, and it gets a genuine laugh out of Kyungsoo.

“That’d be… trouble. For sure,” he agrees.

“Your friends aren’t afraid to be rowdy, but mine would probably instigate them into all kinds of mayhem and then feign innocence. They’re the worst kind of sneaky evil.”

“They don’t seem all that bad, though. They did offer us the privacy of a room to ourselves later,” Kyungsoo counters, before freezing as if he can’t believe he spoke the thought aloud. “Uh… I’m gonna go deliver these,” he says hastily before rushing off.

 

 - Time for vulnerability -

Kyungsoo takes longer than required to complete the delivery, especially given that the customer is a broke college kid like himself who has never tipped more than $1. He takes a deep breath as he gets back into the car, not starting the engine up right away.

“Sorry about… earlier.”

“Huh?”

Kyungsoo drums his fingers along the steering wheel, searching for the right words. “I’m worried I haven’t made my intentions clear? Like, between the pizza box poem thing and then uh, jumping on your lap, and what I just said… I probably seem like someone who’s just desperate to get laid or something.”

He hesitates, brushing his hair back off his face, before forcing himself to look Jongin straight in the eye and confess. “But I really like you.”

 

\- For more than just... -

“You’re sweet and seem like a really genuine person, you love dogs and good R&B and-- I just… don’t want you thinking I’m only into you for your… you know…” he trails off, growing shy again.

“My hot bod?” Jongin says with a grin.

Kyungsoo sighs and rolls his eyes, wide smile on his lips as he stares up at the ceiling of his car. “Yes, Mr. Show Off, your hot bod. I’m trying to say I like you for more than just washing my car half-naked.”

Jongin laces Kyungsoo’s hand with his and places a gentle kiss on the back of it. His lips linger on Kyungsoo’s hand, turning the atmosphere more serious before he says, “I really like you, too. For more than just bringing me pizza every day.”

 

\- The best kind of night drive -

It’s quiet in the car, both of them enjoying the moment of mutual affection. Kyungsoo's appreciating the way Jongin's eyes sparkle in the soft light when he realizes they're both leaning in, gradually closing the distance between them until their lips meet in a sweet kiss. It's so tender, Kyungsoo wishes he could melt into the kiss for hours, but they keep it brief.

“We should probably get people their pizzas,” Jongin murmurs reluctantly, head tipping toward the backseat. Kyungsoo nods, and they drive on to finish the deliveries.

With confessions now out in the open, they touch a little more freely. Kyungsoo rests a hand on Jongin's thigh as he drives, and Jongin gives him a light neck massage, thumbing along the hairs on his neck.

 

\- That's a warning -

Two runs later, and they’re all done. Since Kyungsoo is now convinced that their friends are equally embarrassing and won’t scare him off, Jongin goes into the pizza parlor with him for the final stop of the night. Cordial introductions are made, and then Kyungsoo firmly tells them to Be Nice while he logs his receipts in the back room.

“We’re always nice,” Jongdae snickers, but he abruptly stops laughing, face turning solemn, when Kyungsoo drags a finger along the handles of the pizza paddles hanging on the wall, making them sway back and forth as he leaves the room.

 

\- Thrown under the bus -

Baekhyun leans on the counter and asks Jongin with a sly grin, “Did you have a nice shift together?”

“Yeah, we did,” Jongin answers truthfully, stretching his arms and shoulders, a bit stiff from sitting in the car for 8 hours. He pops his neck, too, as he asks, “So, which one of you wrote on the pizza box?”

Baek takes a few steps back away from Jongin, looking warily at his freshly limbered up muscles, and then points at Jongdae with fear in his voice. “It was him.”

“Well don’t tell Kyungsoo I said this, but thank you,” Jongin mumbles to Dae with a thumbs up. Baekhyun’s face falls as Jongdae bursts into laughter.

“You’re welcome!”

 

 - Jongin privilege XD -

They lock up the store, and the friends bid each other good night. Well, Kyungsoo and Jongdae say “Have a good night.” Baekhyun chooses to yell “Have a good fuck!” instead before sprinting toward his house.

Kyungsoo flushes and grumbles as he and Jongin get into his car. “If I go to jail for beating him up, will you bail me out?”

“Definitely,” Jongin chuckles, poking his pink cheek.

Kyungsoo was in the process of backing out of his parking space, but he stops. “Are you planning to boop me ~every~ time I blush?”

“Boyfriend privilege, right?” Jongin asks, giving him a hopeful look.

The word choice coupled with his puppy dog eyes: God, he’s so endearing. This is bad. Kyungsoo’s already whipped. “I suppose so.”

 

\- Back at Jongin's place -

Kyungsoo pulls into the familiar apartment complex and parks near Jongin’s door. He puts the car in park but isn’t sure if he should leave the car on or turn it off. Is it too presumptuous to turn it off, like he’s assuming he’s invited inside even though it was only the roommates who mentioned it? Or does leaving the car on send the wrong message that he doesn’t want to go in? Fuck, why is the early stage of dating so HARD??

Kyungsoo keeps hesitating, hand on the keys in the ignition, until Jongin helps decide for him, reaching over and turning off the car.

 

\- Moment of truth... -

Given the decisive action, Kyungsoo is surprised to see Jongin looking as jittery as he feels inside.

“Do you…” Jongin gulps, and Kyungsoo’s eyes follow his bobbing Adam’s apple. “Do you maybe want to come inside? I know you’ve had a long day, though, so it’s totally fine if you just want to go home and crash.”

Kyungsoo ~definitely~ wants to go inside and is relieved they’re on the same page. He opens his mouth to reply, but Jongin apparently has a habit of rambling when he gets nervous and keeps going.

“And by come inside, I mean for like, just a little while. Not like to stay over. Though you could if you want! But no pressure. And not that I’d be expecting we’d…”

“Jongin,” Kyungsoo tries again, amused as he attempts to save the boy from himself.

“We could just spoon or something,” Jongin blurts out.

Biting his own lip to hold back the huge smile threatening to burst on his face, Kyungsoo leans in close and brushes their noses together softly before giving Jongin a teasing kiss with just a hint of tongue. “Okay, let’s go in and spoon. Or something.”

 

(Next chapter, they'll spoon. Or something ;))

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't write smut on Twitter but I've been working on it for here OTL Some sexy times incoming with the next (and final) update...
> 
> Thanks for kudos and commenting! <3


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This segment wasn't in the tweet fic, so there's only two pics in here. The rest is traditional fic writing.
> 
> *This ch is RATED NC-17* so skip to the end if you'd prefer to avoid the smut.

The apartment is quiet, so Jongin reasons his roommates are already asleep. He leads Kyungsoo by the hand through the dim foyer and toward the bedroom he shares with Sehun. He flicks on the light out of reflex and nearly yelps, seeing the state of the room, flipping the switch back off immediately.

Gdi, Sehun. The place is a disaster zone. They need a hazmat crew to clean and decontaminate the mess.

“Oh, is your roommate sleeping?” Kyungsoo whispers, misunderstanding the lights going on and off so quickly. He goes to take a polite step back from the room to avoid disturbing the phantom roommate, but Jongin squeezes his hand to hold him in place, not wanting to lose the prospect of an evening with Kyungsoo over a messy room.

He’ll just have to improvise with the pitch darkness.

Jongin pulls him close, until they’re chest to chest and they can feel the vibrations of each other’s hearts thudding wildly against their ribcages. Carefully, Jongin feels his way across Kyungsoo’s face, thumbs gently sliding down full cheeks until they glide across plush lips. Kyungsoo’s warm, shaky exhale is the last cue Jongin needs to guide their mouths together for a perfect kiss. They fall into it naturally, lips and tongues cautious at first as they find each other in the dark. The kiss steadily builds, each touch returned with increasing enthusiasm. Jongin’s already developed an addiction to the way Kyungsoo groans lightly each time he sucks on his lower lip, and he can’t help going back to it again and again.

Kissing while standing, rather than sitting in the car, makes them both more aware of the height difference between them. Kyungsoo has a hand fisted in Jongin’s shirt, tugging him down while he raises up on tip toe, to keep them glued together as the want between them has the kiss turning needier.

“Bed, Jongin,” Kyungsoo half-begs, half-commands, amid the dance of their tongues.

Unwilling to break their kiss, Jongin wraps his arms around Soo’s waist and lifts him up a few inches off the floor to walk them over to his bed so Kyungsoo won’t have to stumble around in the dark. He navigates deftly past the scattered laundry on the floor and pledges to become a neater boy starting tomorrow, so he can have Kyungsoo in his room like this more often.

Jongin settles them on his bed, and they find a comfortable arrangement amid the pillows. Jongin leans back against his headboard as Kyungsoo crawls onto his lap, fingers hesitantly sliding up his chest. With a smirk that likely goes unseen in the dark, Jongin removes his shirt.

“Go ahead, you can—” Jongin’s playful encouragement is abruptly cut off with him moaning deeply as Kyungsoo doesn’t touch with his fingers like anticipated but leans down and nuzzles into the dips and curves of Jongin’s abs, tracing the muscles with the delicate tip of his nose, learning their pathways. Jongin feels warms breath against his bare skin, fluttering over his navel, as Kyungsoo starts to leave soft kisses along his stomach.

He’s so hard already, body amped up from every light touch, every flirty kiss from earlier this evening. Oh fuck, if Kyungsoo sucks him off, it’s going to be over in an instant, with no chance to warn him if he doesn’t want to swallow. And Jongin hasn’t been juicing or eating much of anything but pizza and all that red meat and onion and garlic—he has a mild panic attack thinking that the first impression might put Kyungsoo off blowing him forevermore. “Wait, wait.”

Kyungsoo immediately lets go of the zipper on Jongin’s jeans. “No?” he asks, pulling shyly away. Jongin can’t make out his expression well in the dark, other than his large, gorgeous eyes reflecting the faint moonlight, open wide with surprise. “Sorry, I—"

“No, you’re-- I want to mess around,” Jongin quickly clarifies, tripping over his words. “I definitely want…” Why is it so hard to say stuff out loud? He’s so nervous about sounding stupid, he opts instead for fiddling with the bottom edge of Kyungsoo’s shirt, asking lightly for permission to peel it off, which is granted immediately as the boy raises his arms to help it glide off. Jongin brings him back in for a kiss, warm palm gentle on the back of his neck as he tugs Kyungsoo’s body to lay atop of his and relishes the smooth rub of their bare chests.

He can feel the Kyungsoo’s stiff cock graze against his own through their jeans as their crotches press together, and knowing how turned on he is, too, calms Jongin’s nerves a bit. They gasp into each other’s mouths as they rock their hips together again, the friction feeling incredible. Jongin’s hands find their way along Kyungsoo’s thick thighs, kneading them gently. It causes Kyungsoo to buck harder against him, so Jongin squeezes them again and again, in rhythm with their rutting.

“Can we…” he ghosts his hand across Kyungsoo’s ass and tugs gently at the belt loops of his pants. “Take these off?”

Kyungsoo nods vigorously, assisting as the jeans slide down over his plump ass. Jongin feels up the smooth curves and nearly has an aneurysm as he feels the outline of Soo’s underwear: snug fitting booty shorts.

“Oh damn,” Jongin whispers, fingertips tracing along the hem that hugs the bottom swell of his ass cheeks. Kyungsoo trembles from the touch and whimpers as he rocks down against Jongin’s crotch and back against his hands, attempting to get more friction in both directions. His mouth moves over Jongin’s exposed collarbones and starts to suck, hard, muffling the naughty noises flowing from his lips.

Okay, trying to stall his own orgasm by focusing on riling up Kyungsoo is clearly _not_ going to work, because the sounds he’s making and the way Soo’s body is reacting so enthusiastically to all the stimulation is going to push Jongin right over the edge with him. Hastily, Jongin slips a hand between their erections to unbutton his own fly, his fingers grazing Kyungsoo’s dick through the front of his underwear in the process. Kyungsoo unlatches from his neck to spill the lewdest moan right in his ear.

“Nnnn, Jongin, please,” he croons, raising onto his knees so Jongin can slip his pants off and out of the way. The plea emboldens him to come back and slide a hand in directly to fist Kyungsoo’s cock and give it a gentle tug.

He’s rewarded with another breathy groan and Kyungsoo’s face falling forward to lap at his chest. Fuck, he’s so _loud_ in bed, and Jongin _loves_ it. He strokes up and down Soo’s shaft, loving the way the thick cock feels in his hand, swollen and throbbing.

Kyungsoo’s hands roam down his chest and hesitantly cup Jongin’s crotch through his briefs. He gasps and bucks upward approvingly. In no time, Kyungsoo’s reaching inside to close a hand around him and start pumping in time with each caress Jongin’s giving him.

“Oh fuck, oh Soo,” he slurs out. Kyungsoo’s hands are so soft and grip his aching dick so perfectly, thumb rubbing over his cockhead with each pull and milking precum out the tip.

Lust wins over any final concerns about how long he'll last, and Jongin yanks down their underwear the rest of the way, rolling Kyungsoo so they’re laying side by side on the mattress. With a fierce kiss, Jongin fists both of their cocks together and starts to fuck into his hand.

They’re both moaning so loudly, it’s almost impossible for Jongin to tell whose whines are whose, echoing back and forth in the hot air between them. The bare skin of their bodies seems to touch everywhere at once. Lips, tongues, thighs, toes: everything brushes together, lighting all his nerve endings on fire. Overwhelmed, his mind focuses on the feel of Kyungsoo’s dick pulsing hard against his own as he jerks them off simultaneously, and it’s heavenly.

“Fuck, you feel so good,” Jongin confesses against Soo’s cheek, kissing any expanse of skin he can as their groans ricochet around the bedroom.

Kyungsoo lets go of the hold he had on Jongin’s cock and starts massaging his balls, rolling his fingers gently over the sensitive organs as if encouraging them to let go and release their load and holy fuck does it work. All of the ecstasy winds tight as delicate fingers coax him closer and closer toward the brink. The delicious pleasure finally crests, and Jongin orgasms with a yell, hot cum spurting onto their chests and spilling onto his fingers as he continues to rut against Kyungsoo’s cock. The slick lubrication has Kyungsoo tensing and speeding his own thrusts up as his moans reach a fever pitch. In the peak of his high, Jongin adds a light twist of his wrist to each downward stroke to their cocks. The added stimulation undoes Kyungsoo, and he comes with a stuttered whine, biting into Jongin’s lower lip as he falls apart.

They’re a panting mess, chests both painted with their orgasms and heaving against each other as they gasp into the quiet, dark room. Jongin feels Kyungsoo’s tongue swipe over his bottom lip, nursing it and giving it light pecks almost in apology. Sloppily, he kisses back reassuringly, nuzzling their noses together and feeling Kyungsoo’s soft lips stretch into a grin as they press their mouths together again and again and again… So much affection post-orgasm, Jongin’s heart is weak for this softness. He holds Kyungsoo closer, completely, one-hundred-percent smitten.

The light hum Kyungsoo gives in response, coupled with the fingers dancing in the hair at the nape of Jongin’s neck, suggests they’re both there – blissfully drowning in the early phase of romance, unable to get enough of each other.

When his body cools off enough to notice the light chill of the air conditioner, Jongin leans over the side of the bed and feels for a t-shirt to wipe them off. “Gross,” Kyungsoo chides at his choice of wipe, but it’s playful. Not like either of them can exactly get up and find more suitable option given how they’re both slicked with their releases.

Jongin tosses the soiled shirt over onto Sehun’s side of the room because fuck him, but the motion has Kyungsoo suddenly shrinking down and burying his face in Jongin’s chest.

“Shit, wait – is your roommate in here?” he whispers.

“What? No!” Jongin reassures him. “Wait… did you really think he—and you still wanted to—were you loud on purpose?”

Kyungsoo lightly swats at his pecs in protests. “No! I just… kinda forgot everything once you kissed me.” He’s looking down shyly, and Jongin can feel the warmth of his blush.

“Oh yeah?” Jongin brazenly kisses him again, smiling.

“Yeah. You’re a very… distracting kisser.”

This confession invites another round of tender, lazy kisses, of course. A final, soft peck, and they pull apart, heads resting on Jongin’s pillow and faces still close.

“Hmmm, what was I about to do before that?” Kyungsoo jokes, pretending to try to remember.

“You were about to say you’re staying over?” Jongin supplies hopefully, voice a tad uncertain if he’s being too greedy.

Kyungsoo’s beautiful eyes glimmer as they crinkle up around the edges from his smile. “Ah yes, it’s coming back to me now. Something about spooning?”

"Yes, exactly that."

Jongin follows Kyungsoo’s lead when he sits up to shimmy back into his underwear first and eagerly accepts him back into his arms, nestled perfectly against him as the little spoon. It's a perfect end to a perfect day.

“I’m curious,” Kyungsoo asks as they’re snuggled together, drifting toward sleep. “What do you think would’ve happened if my friends hadn’t written on your pizza box today?”

“I’d like to think I would’ve asked for your number anyway. Eventually.”

Kyungsoo hums. “Ditto. But that might’ve been a lot of pizza deliveries.”

Jongin holds him tighter and presses a kiss to his hair. “I’d have ordered a hundred times if that’s what it took to make you mine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope the shy smut was worth the wait OTL Had to keep it consistent with these sweet, shy flirts - ahhh, cute college Kaisoo <3
> 
> Look at this adorable fanart/edit that @mmallow_squishy made for the fic! (Pls appreciate the details for the date, address, the credit card number!)
> 
> Thanks for reading! For more light-hearted Kaisoo, check out my [Birthday Roulette](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8567134) fic (PG-13) or [Lawyer Up (My Ass)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13310958) (NC-17). Kudos are always appreciated and comments always get replies! Thanks, everyone :-*
> 
> At1stsight/at1stsoo
> 
> [Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/at1stsoo) | [Curiouscat](http://curiouscat.me/At1stsight)


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